In the Queen's heart
by EvilRegalPL
Summary: A collection of one-shots written by me in english :)
1. A Big Day

**A Big Day** (Snow Queen/Outlaw Queen-ish one-shot.)

A/N: I wrote it because I do believe with all my heart that by the end of the season 4 Regina and Robin will have already been engaged and THIS will happen some day. :) (Oh god, I hope so.. ;))

I've been also inspired by talk with arendtx. Thank you dearie for encouraging me to write this, this is for you :)

Please note that this is the very first ff I wrote in English (it's not my native language) and I didn't have any beta to this, so there may be some errors, sorry for that ;(

A summary: It's Robin&Regina's wedding day. Soon-to-be mrs. Locksley is supposed to be happy about it, but memories from the past decided to hunt her in the worst possible moment. Mental support comes to her from the last person that she could possibly expect it from.

Regina had been staring in the mirror for quite some time. She couldn't help but wonder if all of this, all of the things that were currently happening in her life, were even real. She was beyond happy for weeks. Ever since Robin had proposed to her she lived in a bubble of happiness, which at the same time scared the hell out of her. 'I can't be happy', she kept repeating to herself, 'Things like this just don't happen to me.'.

But it was true. She did get her happy ending and the white dress that she had been put in by Tinkerbell was the biggest proof.

Once again she smoothed the material of the dress with shaking hands. Even though she knew that there was nothing else to betterment and she looked as good as a past-evil-queen-bride may possibly look like, she didn't want to leave the room just yet. She was too nervous and she didn't even know why. In fact, everything was fine until this very moment. Until she saw herself in this simple, not at all princessy, but still beautiful white dress, which was the wedding dress after all…

She's been married before. It wasn't the greatest time of her life, but she wasn't stupid. She knew Robin would never hurt her in any way, she would never even consider a thought that he could ever do what Leopold had been doing to her a million times in the past. The happiness of being able to finally call Robin her husband was overwhelming, but still... something was bothering her. And this came to her in the worst possible moment, just when she thought that the past would never hunt her again and her old fears were already in the past…

"Wow." She heard a familiar voice behind her as she jumped a bit.

She lifted her head to look in the mirror again and she saw Snow looking at her from the entrance to the room and smiling to her softly.

"You are most certainly the fairest of them all."

Regina laughed, knowing exactly what Snow was referring to.

"Thank you, dear."

"You should wear white more often. Maybe black isn't your colour after all…"

"Oh, it is." Regina decided to end this sass fight. "But I'm getting married. Everyone knows that the royal brides should be snow white."

Snow burst in laugh.

"Okay. You won."

Snow probably thought a little sass would make her feel less nervous, but it didn't work. Now the only thing that wanted Snow out of the room so she could keep worrying in seclusion.

She turned to brunette and crossed her arms.

"Now. Why are you here?" she asked Snow.

"Well, It's getting quite late and I thought you might want not to be late for your own wedding."

Regina rolled her eyes. Enough of these puns.

"I suppose you didn't come here only to remind us both about our rather unpleasant past, did you?"

"Right. Actually I'm here because Henry asked me to tell you that he's ready. He can't wait to walk his mother down the aisle." Snow smiled.

Regina nodded nervously. Shit, her son was more ready for her wedding that she would ever be. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey. Are you okay?" the woman asked worriedly.

Regina fought really hard to keep her make up on her face.

"Regina…?"

"It's… It's nothing. Leave me alone, please."

"Oh Regina, I can see something's bothering you. What's going on?"

Regina sighed. She needed to talk to someone.

"I just… I guess I'm just afraid."

"What? Why?" Snow smiled to her softly. "Regina, you're getting married today. Shouldn't you be happy? You love Robin so much, everyone can see it!"

"Maybe that's the problem?"

"What do you mean?"

"I love him too much that I can't let go. I've never could." Regina finally can put her thoughts into words. "What if this is a mistake? What if a marriage is a bad decision after all? I am too ruined for him…"

Snow was shocked by how this conversation changed its direction.

"Do you really think he thinks that way? He loves you like nothing in the world!"

"Maybe he shouldn't!" Regina was on the edge and Snow watched her closely. "I've been so selfish all the time, I wanted a happy ending… But now? Now he'll become my family and look how many members of my family are still alive! For his own sake, we shouldn't push the fate…"

"Oh, now I get it." Snow said. "You're happy and you're afraid that something's going to take that away from you…"

Regina didn't say anything, she turned back from Snow because this talk became too deep for her. She coulnd't believe that she was able to open herself for Snow so easily but the fact that she really knew her better than she knew herself was even more terrifying.

"You know, you're right. You are ruined."

Regina didn't expect this. She looked at Snow again and she frowned in disbelief.

"But not in the way you think you are." Her step daughter came closer and took her hand. "You've experienced way to many bad things in your life. There were so many of them that you actually got used to it! But Regina, you can't always think the worst. Happy endings do happen, just look at me and David!"

Snow laughed as Regina put on her infamous "bitch please" face.

"Either way, it's never easy, it isn't. But love can do anything and seeing how great love you and Robin share, I can't see anything standing in your way to get your happy ending."

"But… how can he love me that much?" For most of the time it seemed unreal to Regina.

"Because YOU love him just as much." Snow said. "I know you, Regina. I know Robin. And seeing you with him… I've never seen you happier. So as long as you fight for what you have and do your best to keep it, nothing's going to change it."

"What makes you so sure?"

Snow shruged.

"This is just how true love works. I know it."

Regina looked in her eyes and realized that she really knew what she was talking about.

True love. She and Robin truly loved each other. But they were also soulmates. Then what could possibly take them apart? Now she knew she was going to fight for her happiness no matter what, because her fate was only up to her.

Regina smiled to Snow softly.

"I bet you do."

Snow smiled back. She didn't need anything more.

"Ok, now hurry. Everyone's waiting!"

"Yeah, right." Regina nodded fast, getting pissed at herself that she had wasted so much time. "Henry's probably worried about me."

"Then let's not worry him any longer. Come on."

"I'll be right beck" Regina said as she asked for a few more seconds alone.

One last time she looked at herself in the white gown and with hair pinned gently. 'If I can take people I cursed seeing me dressed like Snow White, I can take anything', she thought and laughed again.

Then she turned back and left the room, finally being able to let go of her past and ready to face the new beginning. Future didn't seem so scary anymore.


	2. Under the Mask

**OQ Week Day 1: Masquarade ball.**

**_Under the Mask_**

**Summary:** Set during the missing year. A very special ball takes place in the royal castle. The only reason Regina agreed to come at all were the masks that eveyone had to wear. For one day she could be normal. For one day she didn't have to be The Evil Queen. This one time she would just blend in and try to forget about her pain, because no one should recognize her. Or so she thought...

* * *

><p>She still wasn't quite sure if she's doing right. Admittedly she made sure that in this one day she didn't look like herself (well, as much as it was possible without using magic) but it still just didn't seem... right. She's just lost Henry. How could she even think about having fun when crearly she wasn't capable of smiling..?<p>

Regina sighed deeply, putting her black lace mask on. She was wearing the least evil-ish dress she could find, just simple, long, purple dress, embroidered with small crystals. Outfit like this would work even for a ball in the modern world. Standing out was the last thing she wanted.

'I should just tell those idiots I don't care.' she was thinking. In fact, deep down she knew she wasn't doing it „for the people, who needed hope and joy most these days". She was doing it for Henry. He would want her to move on with her life and just try to be happy.

There was also another reason she wasn't resisting of going that much... She didn't want to admit it, even before herself, but certain thief did get under her skin...

Encouraged by the thought that no one should recognize her like this after all, she stepped into the ball room. The lights, the smell of food, the dancing people... it was all beautiful. She could almost feel the hope in the air, no matter how stupid it would sound if she said it out loud.

She walked next to the woman, who's husband she had killed a few dacades ago, but... nothing happened. To be completely sure she approached the buffet when a few strangers were talking to Snow, congratulating her on the baby. Still nothing. They all kept talking not paying much attention on some random woman in purple dress.

Regina smiled to herself. Emboldened by her neutrality she decided to try enjoy all of this. It's been a long time since she could just observe people unnoticeable and pass next to them freely, without being given a baleful look. Not that she didn't deserve it for all she had done in the past... this night was just different and she had to admit, it was nice.

The night was passing at the dance and fun. Poor people didn't leave the free-food spot, the wealthier didn't leave the dance floor and the Charmings didn't leave each other. Everone seemed to be happy and Regina thought that after all it was all Snow wished for.

She didn't dance herself though. Neither she needed it nor someone wanted her to. She was just enjoying the atmosphere of the event and looking at the guests from secluded place. She almost could feel the glimpse of happiness inside her. She just couldn't bring herself to smile, but it was actually normal thing for her now. One happier day and she can go back to suffering of her loss.

„I didn't expect to see you here." she heard a voice beside her and she jumped, surprised. Her heart started beating faster before she even looked at the companion. She recognized his voice immediately, even the mask couldn't hide how handsome he was at the light of the party.

„The thief." she said. She tried to explain her nervousness to herself by thinking that she's just surprised.

He was standing right beside her at the edge of the ballroom but he wasn't looking at her. Actually she noticed he was doing exactly the same as she did – observing the party without fully participating in it.

„That's quite a ball, isn't it?"

„If you like the splendor and exaggerated adornment." Regina answered carefully, but with some usual irony in her voice.

Robin laughed shortly.

„Don't you tell me you're the modest type, your majesty."

The Queen looked at him with astonishment. She couldn't believe it! He! Of all the people...

„Oh, come on, Regina. you didn't think I wouldn't recognize you with a mask, did you?"

„No, but I didn't really care. The only thing that I didn't expect was to see you talking to me here." She responded with a little sass.

Robin didn't say anything and she immediately regretted snapping at him. She almost apologized to him! What the hell was happening with her?

„So... um, how did you recognize me? I was in pain to make myself unrecognizable."

„You're a lot more than just an outfit, Regina." he said and she looked at him again. „No one in this room moves with such a grace. I would know you're you even if you were wearing a sack."

„Would you?" she said, not quite sure what else to say. She was pretty sure she just complimented her.

At this very moment a strange thought popped into her head, that she was thinking exactly the same. If she didn't knew any better she'd say he didn't try at all with covering himself today. He was too distinctive to be hidden behind some mask.

„So can I have a dance or you're going to just stand here, wasting your beauty, hidding it in the darkest corner of the room?"

„If you knew me even a little, you'd know that the darkness is what I was meant for."

„Oh, I won't belive this." He smiled to her friendly. „Besides, you have to let me know you first."

She wasn't expecting it at all. She was supposed to spend this night far from her „evil" self, she wanted not to be reminded of this by anyone... and nothing's actually changed.

With Robin she felt like she wanted to for a long time, like she can live again somehow. With him she was never The Evil Queen, just Regina... Just a woman who desired to regain some happiness in her life and who deserved to have a chance.

„What's it going to be? Shall we?" He gave her his hand, but he didn't push her.

She was looking for his hand for a while and then eventually took it, rolling her eyes, as if it was a privilage for him. Under the mask her cheeks turned red.

As they moved on the dancefloor, Robin placed his right hand on Regina's waist and they started a slow dance. The music was calm and Regina tried not to show any emotions. This situation was in fact unusual for her. She couldn't really remember the time when someone treater her like this. Even with Daniel... she had never had a chance to experiance anything quite like this.

„You see, I told you were crealry born with grace, your majesty." Robin said smiling at her softly as Regina rolled her eyes. They kept moving forward. Robin was an amazing dancer, which was just another thing to add to the list of this evening's surprises.

„Should I tell you some compliment now too? Or can we just keep on dancing in quietness?" she said playing irritated with him even talking to her. For real, she was just starting to be afraid of her reactions and the more she was loosing controle, the more she tried to cover it with hostility.

Robin just laughed again and held her close while dancing, though he knew exactly where Regina's presonal space started.

No one was ever so gentle towards her. Or maybe no one since Daniel, again. But Robin Hood... he didn't treat her like a queen, more like... a princess, which to Regina's mind was of course another stupid, annoyingly accurate comparsion.

„Where did you learn how to dacce at all?" Regina asked finally. As much as she wanted to show no interest in him, she was really curious.

„I broke into some balls in the past."

The Queen nodded as if it was obvous. Then Robin started to smile meaningly.

„Wait..." she stopped, because she understood why. „You've broken into MY balls too?!"

He burst in laugh and Regina couldn't help but smile too.

„I was a thief when you met me."

They resumed the dance as the new song started.

„How have I never noticed you back then?" she asked, more to herself, but Robin raised an eyebrow anyway. She blushed again, because it did sound like she was intersted in him. „I... I mean, I always recognize a street rat when I see one..."

„Well, I've never really nocied you, either." he admitted thuthfully. „I knew only The Evil Queen, not you." he looked in her eyes and smiled. „So maybe it was all about timing."

They continued dancing to another song. And the second, and the next five ones...

During the dance Robin joyfully talked to her about his break-ins into other castles, and he was just talking about himself, not demanding anything on Regina And eventually... she smiled. She really, actually smiled. She never thought that the thief, of all people, would be able to bring back a smile on her face but it happened.

For the first time since she lost Henry she thought that there's hope after all.

Maybe it was all about timing indeed...


End file.
